Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-02-04
DAK0TA's CAPITAL.
Meeting of the Seventeenth Ses-
sion of the Dakota
Legislature.

With the organization Of the two houses OF
the Legislature, the excitement occasioned by
the struggle for Office and honor had sim
mered down to point or two below freezing.
This chilling condition of affairs, especially in
the House, was caused in measure by the Sc
lection of the House Committee Chairmen.
Hobart, of Moody, wanted to be chairman Of
the railroad committee, and to say that he
wanted it bad is speaking modestly. Several
other distinguished gentlemen wanted i'm
portant committee chairs An undercurrent Of
hostility towards Speaker Crosse for his COM
missions and omissions betokeued coming
storm of no mean proportions. President
Matthews, of the Council, was more success
full in his committee selections. Capt Alex
Hughes, of Bismarck, was given the judiciary;
DIR. Collins, of Grand Forks, railroads, and
Campbell, of Brown County, appropriations.
The Council had accepted the organization and
committees as fair and just, and settled down
to business when up comes from the House
Ominous mutterings of the storm.
THE CONSPIRACY.
The House Committees were appointed late
on Saturday evening. The disappointed mem
bers had all day Sunday to nurse their wrath
and plan for revenge. On Monday morning,
the Eth, after the journal had been disposed
of, Mr.. Jones, of Charles Mix, moved that the
vote by which the rules had been adopted be
reconsidered.
Williams, of Burleigh, moved for q call Of
the House.
The sergeant-at-Arms proceeded to hunt
up absent members and count noses. 1t was
found that Mr.. Ruggles, of Edmunds, was ab-
sent and gone for purpose. 1t now became
evident that q we'll arranged programme had
been mapped out Ruggles played the sjump-
ing jack" act to secure q deadlock, which
I'll near midnight Very few at first could d.
vine the conspirators' intentions, but by de-
grees the plot became known.
THE COMPACT
Messrs. Hobart of Moody, Berry of Clark,
Jones of Charles Mix, and Roger of Jerauld
had gone over to the North Dakota combina-
ton, headed by Williams of Bismarck, and
proposed to reconsider the adoption Of the
must be done on the day following their adop-
ton, requiring majority vote or, at a later
period, two thirds vote. The disgruntled
Southrons, by combining with the North,
would give them twenty-five votes-one ma
by permission, but were expected back on the
noon train Monday. The train was seven
hours late, and still they didn't come The
dead lock" continued, and the conspirators
found themselves in box, and as one mem
Der be- from 4, the Red River Valley exclaimed,
midnight the hiding Ruggles was Informed
that the scheme had failed, and the House had
worked itself out of very disgusting situation.
THE PROGRAMME
The conspirators secured the sdead lock-"
expecting the absentees to arrive on Monday
by which they hoped to reconsider the rules,
changing them so that all committees would
BE- BE- appointed by the House instead of
Chief Clerk Eakins and sergeant-at
Arms Rorapaugh Had the absentees returned
Monday, it is more than possible that tho
rules would have been changed, but the un-
seating would have proyed very difficult nm
this revolutionary movement. The southern
members who sold out to the north deserve
little less condemnation than the gentleman
from Bismarck.
There was heaps of bad blood on both sides.
Monday morning truce had been patched up
The four southern boilers had been promised
Hills, resigned the craftsmanship of the rail-
road committee, vice Hobart, bolter, to be ap-
pointed. Fletcher, of Brown resigned the ap-
preparation loaf to give Bolter Berry chance.
Ward, OF Turner, cancelled his insurance
Chair. Hobart resigned the ways and means ans
to give thin-skinned Jones, of Charles Mix,
the craftsmanship. Messrs. Fletcher Stewart
and Ward proved themselves honorable men
and above the contemplate trickery of chance
through disappointment They resigned their
seats for the sake of harmony and peace Had
the revolutionary scheme succeeded, the
House as aw-making body would have
ceased to exist. It would have become howl
ing mob, Aftor the journal was disposed Of
on Tuesday, Mr.; Jones, of Charles Mix, got
,xNystt, n hi
The Burleigh County member objected Of
course, SO a motion to lay on the table
prevailed Thus ending very iisgraceful
proceeding, conceived in disappointed hate
and born in treachery. The boilers gained
confidence of all. A more thoroughly used-up
man than Williams has seldom disgraced q
seat in the Legislature of the Territory. For
the balance of the session Mr. Williams will
equal cipher with the rim cut Off The
friends of the Speaker threaten retaliation
against the North by cutting down their appro-
priations to nothing, and to clean out the Bis
marck Peniteptiary, SAID to be rotten
THE COUNCIL.
The gentlemen composing the Council are
regarded as the brainiest lot of lawmakers
ever elected in the Territory. President Ma
thews is young, bright, quick, and fine pre-
siding officer. Ericsson of Elk Point, will
make a record. DR.. Collins, Of Grand Forks,
A1esAAsASoAAASopS
body. To particularize or extol one above the
other for their merits in all that pertains to
honor, manhood and ability, would be difficult.
COUNCIL BILLS.
The most important bills introduced 60 far
in the Council are:
Mr.: Hughes, to regulate grain warehouses
and the inspection, weighing and handling
of grain, and defining the duties Of the rail,
road and warehouse commission. An impor-
tant measure and will PASS
Mr.. Grigsby, to legalize Sioux Falls cleo
ton
:, Mr.. Mead, q memorial to Congress urging
the passage of the "Dawes bill" Passed un,
der suspension of rules.
Mr.. Foster, to authorize organization for
protection against and punishment of horse
thieves
Mr.. Allen, regulating fees of printers.
Mr.. Hughes, 10 abolish county assessors and
create district assessors.
Mr.. McCumber, TO extend the time for 1886
taxes to become delinquent to June l, 1887.
Passed the Council
Number of bills introduced up to Wednes-
day are GG.